Steeler football means so much more than you think. It symbolizes a Diaspora of generations who had the best childhood they could imagine. They ran free without a care or concern in the valleys of those Allegheny Mountains. Their blue-collar world was easy ... there was no one to tell them that they lacked material things. There was no one to tell them that they needed more.

As the steel mills closed and the jobs disappeared, some of these people had to leave. While the world benefits because they spread their Pittsburgh values, they long for their home where things were simpler and more pure. They teach their kids about Jack Lambert, Lynn Swann, Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Jack Ham, L.C. Greenwood, Joe Greene, and Myron Cope in hopes of departing not just the knowledge, but the feeling that they represented.

They are everywhere, those Terrible Towels. They wave, not just for the team, but for the hearts they left behind. They wave in living rooms in Fort Lauderdale and in the bars of Washington, D.C. They wave all the way to the Seattle Superdome! They wave for the Rooney family, whose values mirror our own - loyalty, grit, and humility.

Even if you no longer live in the area, you have South Western Pennsylvania in your blood no matter where you go. And deep down in your heart of hearts, you can still hear the Super Bowls of times past, the excitement in everyone's voices especially our fathers, cousins, and anyone else who gathered around the TV on Football Sundays!! Make no mistake, its just as exciting right now!! It's not just about rivalries and who is better than the other, it's about family, tradition and roots!

It's more than football, but its football at its finest!! If you now live in Arizona, Colorado, Ohio, Indiana, California, Florida, Nevada, or Texas, be proud of where you were born and who your FIRST favorite football team was!!

Dude that was f'ing fantastic!!!:cope: That would be a good pregame talk for our Steelers. Right now I want to rip a Ravens head off.:yesnod:

01-28-2009, 01:39 PM

Steelerlyn

What's The Big Deal About Steeler Football

This was in my email, it had several attachments I did not include and there were no credits.

Being a Steeler fan means so much more than football. It means being from a corner of the world unlike any other. It means being from a place where the people are so tough-minded that they have survived the Homestead strikes, the Johnstown flood and the Etna Floods.
These people from Pittsburgh have the DNA of hard workl in mills and mines without the necessity of complaint.They live simply, with no frills. They don't have movie stars or fancy cars. Instead they have simple traditions like klielbasa, Kennywood and celebrations, they live in distinctive neighborhoods like the Polish Hill and all the surrounding counties;these people are genuine. They don't have chic internet cafes and cappuccinos, but they have The Original Hot Dog joint, Primanti's, Eat n' Park and Iron City Beer.
Most people from da burg don't have boats and sunny beaches but the rivers roll gently, connecting the small towns of people whose histories have been built on strength and humility. People from Pittsburgh don't have the biggest shopping malls or the best nightclubs but they'll take Friday night high school football and Steeler Sunday over anything.
Steeler football means so much more you than you may think. It symbolizes the spreading out of generations who had the best childhood they could imagine. They ran free without a care or concern in the valleys of those Allegheny Mountains. Their blue-collar world was easy .. there was no one to tell them that they lacked material things. There was no one to tell them that they needed more.
As the Steel Mills closed, and the jobs disappeared many had to leave Pittsburgh and the surrounding counties to find work in other states. The world benefits because they spread their Pittsburgh values, they long for their home where things were simpler and more pure.
They teach their kids and grandkids about Jack Lambert, Lynn Swann, Terry Bradshaw, L.C. Greenwood and Myron Cope in the hopes of departing not just the knowledge but the feelings they represented. They are everywhere those terrible towels. They wave, not just for the team, but for the hearts they left behind. They wave in living rooms in Fort Lauderdale and in the bars of Washington, D.C. the Steeler domains in Az, they wave for the Rooney family, whose values mirror our own...loyalty, grit and humility. They wave for football players like Jerome Bettis and Hines Ward, whose unselfishness and toughness have allowed sports to be about the game and the team.
Make no mistake that Steeler football is not just about football. A person from da burgh could not be prouder to be from the Pittsburgh Area than right now! Even if you no longer live in the area,you have South Western Pennsylvania in your blood no matter where you go. And deep down in your heart of hearts, you can still hear the Super Bowls of times past, the excitement in everyone's voices especially our fathers, cousins, and anyone else who gathered around the TV on Football Sundays! Make no mistake, its just as exciting right now! It's not just about rivalries and who is better than the other, it's about family, tradition and roots. It's more than football, but its football at its finest!!
If you are a transplant and now live in Arizona, Virginia, Colorado, Ohio, Indiana, California, Florida, Nevada, California, Michigan, Texas, UK, Italy or anywhere in the world....but you came from da burgh be proud of where you were born and of your favorite football team.

Anyone who was at the Championship Parade had to feel the pride, the love coming from the crowd to their football team, The Pittsburgh Steelers, even I felt it and I have no connections to Pittsburgh, whatsoever, so I can not say to a person from South Western PA, "I know how you feel' because I am not from PA, I am from MI and had to become a Steeler fan so my husband would let me live in our home, he taught football to me and there was no option .....it was Steeler football, only. There are 40 years of commitment, respect, optimism and humility that I have given to the Steelers, I have been completely pissed off at some play calling, at dropped and overthrown balls, at sacks....you name it....been there done that kinda thingy. I cried when they lost, cried when they won. I have always had some sort Pittsburgh Steeler emblem on any car I have ever had, I fly the Steeler flag from my flag pole all the time, just to let all you insiders know how an outsider feels for the Pittsburgh Steelers, we are family.

Go Steelers

01-28-2009, 01:47 PM

BlitzburghNation

Well said Lynn :clap: Nice read,,,,,:bigthumb:

Steeler fans are the best and like i've said before,what seperates us from most fans of other teams,,,,,,,, it's not just being a fan of a team,it's a way of life :tt02:

01-28-2009, 01:51 PM

ejsteeler

I posted this up with all the attachments and pix in the pix thread. HERE
Good stuff. :yellowthumb: